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 The
Museum is born of a project of the Japanese metropolitan government's
attempt to present, preserve and educate the people on the history, art,
disasters, science, culture, and architecture of Tokyo. Beginning from
1590 -- when the first shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, made Edo (old Tokyo) the
seat of his domain -- to 1964, when Tokyo hosted the Olympics, these
Periods are represented by photos, documents and other artifacts
relevant to significant events of the era. All in all, the museum's
great visual displays create a vivid portrayal of Tokyo through the
centuries.
The building housing this impressive museum is said to resemble a rice
granary when viewed from afar, to some me it looks like a modern torii,
or the entrance gate to a shrine. Tourists are advised not to miss it.
 You'll
enter the museum’s sixth floor by walking over a replica of Nihombashi
Bridge, the starting point for all roads leading out of old Edo.
Exhibits covering the Edo Period portray the lives of the shoguns,
merchants, craftsmen, and townspeople. Pictures and farm implements,
folk tales are also in huge supply here.
While the explanations are mostly in Japanese, there's plenty to look
at, including a replica of an old Kabuki theater and a model of a
daimyo's mansion. There is also a collection of portable floats used
during festivals, maps and photographs of old Edo, and -- perhaps most
interesting -- a row house tenement where Edo commoners lived in cramped
quarters measuring only 10 sq. m (107.6 sq. ft.).
Other displays cover the Meiji Restoration, the Great Kanto Earthquake
of 1923, and the bombing raids of World War II. Do not however be
surprised if Japan’s role as an aggressor in the Second World War will
be continually glossed over. In this situation, diplomacy is always
best.
 Visitors
may also take advantage of the free museum tour offered by volunteers
which last daily from 10am to 3pm. Most tours last 1 to 2 hours,
depending on the level of visitor interest. You may also find these
guided tours insightful and very helpful especially when it comes to
their explanations of the Japanese-only displays.
However, tours are necessarily rushed and focus on particular displays;
you may wish to tour the museum afterward on your own. At any rate, plan
on spending about 2 hours here.
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